Lindholme Radio Tower

Never heard of MOULD until a couple of days ago, but recognise the good old PEGASUS.

It was very good, but technology moved on.

The biggest problem was that it had no PL tone or ctcss. In the modern world of radio communication this is the equivalent of having a universal door key.

Although it didn't come under intentional misuse, it did result for instance (allegedly), in the Irish illegal 'Superphone' system being re radiated onto MOULD throughout the North West via the Winter Hill MOULD link. The users from Ireland were unaware that their conversation on their new illegal gadget was transmitting over a wider area than they knew. A bit embarrassing to say the least, not to mention the explicit language being used in conversations.

The loaning out of some MOULD equipment during the Badminton Horse Trials to assist with the event wasn't a good decision either, as a large part of the UK was treated to learning which car park was full etc.

The site was probably used for the Tx/Rx aerials for the airfield ATC; Northern Radar was an area radar unit hence its RTF was via forward relay stations using offset carriers as it covered an area from 52 deg 30' north to 55 deg north and from the middle of the Irish Sea to the UK/Amsterdam/Copenhagen FIR boundaries.
Working on the civil side at Northern in 1973, London Control frequently transferred traffic to us northbound in level flight as it passed Brookmans Park VOR and we would keep it until it approached Dean Cross VOR at the boundary of Prestwick's airspace. We would also work traffic on an airway which followed the western edge of the Amsterdam FIR until we transferred it to Copenhagen and similarly, Amsterdam departures often called us whilst still in Amsterdam airspace (if there was no opposite direction traffic) and we would work them until we transferred it to Ulster Radar, so you can see what a huge area was covered; nothing like the 30 odd miles radius of an airfield ATC unit.

Many thanks for your interesting reply Terry.

The antennas were indisputably UHF 400-470 MHz only therefore unlikely to be involved in ATC activities. Although it is commonplace for civilian tower and ground comms to be re-radiated on UHF now, I doubt that there would be any advantage in relaying ATC over what would be a maximum at UHF of 10 miles or so, additionally, the runways at Lindholme had been taken up many years previous.

May I enquire if you worked at Northern Radar as you may recall the large structure located on the former bomb dump? At the moment there is only my wife that vaguely remembers seeing it and others!

The aerials shown in the photo do not resemble anything I've seen connected with aviation use (they're usually a sort of conical shape rather than oval) so as others have said, they're probably for police/ambulance services.
I worked at Northern Radar during most of 1973 but I don't clearly recall seeing the large structure on the bomb dump although I frequently drove past it when I went into Doncaster; I lived in the Officers Mess during my spell at Lindholme; no point getting myself anything more permanent as I was only there to get my Area Radar rating.

Definitely not aeronautical and feel bad that I am wasting bandwidth of this forum. There was a chance that I could settle my curiosity and learn what it was about.

Google Earth does not display history before 1970 unfortunately. However, an earlier posting by PETERTHEEATER clearly illustrated the site, described on the map as a 'Pylon', which would be a fair description, but a truncated pylon, now substituted by a mobile phone mast.. It was only when I (and others) noticed these in several places in the UK in the proximity of former wartime property did it raise a question.

It is an affection being a long standing licensed radio amateur that we notice these things more than most others!

Cheers

abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1688038

in the link above, there appears to be a mast in the background to the left of the shot. In the 7th inmate there also appears to be a "pylon" in the right background, although it looks a little asymmetrical so my not be what you are looking for.


The pictures were taken in 1958-1960

Thank you for your interest and for posting the image. I regret that this is not the type and the time scale was the Cold War period and beyond.

I have attached a snapshot taken from the internet which is remotely like the pylon mast that was at Lindholme and other places during that time. However, the pylon did NOT have any other antenna/microwave dish other than one of these at each corner of the square top and the structure was higher and more substantial.

All in all I losing faith in that it was to do with either Northern Radar, or the former RAF Lindholme. But if it wasn't ,why was it removed when the RAF (Lindholme, Northern Radar, Finningley) completely pulled out of the area?